The Thursday Preview: Burnley Vs Nottingham Forest
The Thursday Preview: Burnley Vs Nottingham Forest
First weekend of the new season, first Thursday Preview since we decided to expand our remit (or, rather, our respective clubs decided for us). Do we go for a League 2 fixture straight away or stick to our Championship guns? Such was the dilemma of the week. Romantics will fix their invariably misty eyes to the league in between and the still unlikely-seeming clash between Sheffield Wednesday and Dagenham and Redbridge. But this stone-hearted Unfortunate can’t see past the most intriguing contest of the Championship list, between the returning Burnley and the never-departed Nottingham Forest.
The pre-season activities of the two clubs could not have been in greater contrast. While the Clarets made the most of those generous parachute payments to add guile to a squad that performed so admirably for at least half of the Premier League season just gone, Forest fans have bemoaned a lack of entrants to replace those exiting. Manager Billy Davies remains committed to the cause, though, and an initial bid for 2009/10 golden boot Peter Whittingham suggests that reinforcements are on their way.
If only the Beeb had followed us and chosen this one to begin its coverage. A match between two contenders would have been much more palatable than the tired Clough references we’ll be served on Saturday evening.